Process of producing alloys.



"UN D err-urnsv PATENT OFFICE.

.me sitrce BEGKET, 0F NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO ELECTRO "ii- 1QMETALLURGICALCOMPANY,'A CORPORATION or WEST VIRGINIA.

To all tbliom itmeyconccrn: I

Be itliuown'that L 'l nnnsmcx M.- Bncxn'r, a subject ofithe 'Kingef Great'Britain, residing at Niagara Falls inthe c'ountyef Niagara and State of N ew York, have}inventedwertain new and useful Improvements in lrecesscs ofilroducing Alloys, of which the follow-v metalsi The proccssp'r seats particular advantages as applied to the productionl of ferro vanadium, and will be described by reference thereto.

Theinveution'consists in reducing a suitable exid or oxygeril'centaining.compound or mixture-of oxids by ferresilico'rn preferably containing not less than 0 per cent. silicon," tho fcrresilicon being preferably used in proportions and under conditions to insure a low silicon contentef the product. The conditions necessary for substantially complete reduction of the metallic oxids above referredto and the production of alloys of low silicon content are obtainable so far as known only in the electric-furnace. Preferably a basic flux is used to combine with any excess of silica which may be present'in the ore and with .the silica derived from the oxidation of the silicon. I

Metallurgists have long been familiar with the reducing action of ferrosiliconupon certain metallic oxids, such as oxid of iron, and advantage is taken of this chemical reaction in many industries,--ior example the manufacture of steel. l erresilicou has also been employed for the production of double silicids of various metals andef alloys containing a considerable proportion of silicon. It has moreover been proposed to use ferrosilicon as a reducing agent for manganese dioxid in themanufaeture of manganese steel. 1 have foundf tha't",ferrosilicon may be advantageously employed in'flthe electric furnace as a reducing agent for the oxids etthe refractory metals above referred to. When'a suitable. mixture containing ferrosiiicon, an oxid of oneor more ef'the above metals, and a basic flux, is treat-cd-ln an electric furnace the advantages of a continuous'and very rapid process may be obtained, and byfsuitably proportlonlng the ingredients of the charge the slllconcontent of the product may be reduced to a fraction of one per cent.

As a specific example of the process I will describe its application to'the manufacture of ferrovanadium of low silicon and carbon content, from an oxid ore of vanadium, or on ere which has been treated to convert'the vanadium to the oxidized state, or concentrates from such ores. The material containing vana- Specifleation of Letters Patent. A raisal. at December 22,1906. Serial No. 349,176.

PROCESS PRQDUCING ALLOYS.

Patented. Sept. 17, 1907.

dium oxid is'mixed-with ferrosilicon, preferably in a moderately fine state of subdivision'and preferably used in approximately the proportions indicated by theory, the silicon supplied being substantially equivalent to the'oxygen of the vanadium exid and of any exid'of iron which may be present. To this mixture is added a basic flux, such as here, in proportion sufiicient to yield with the silica a moderately fusible slag, and the charge is then fused-in an electric furnace, the

heating being continued until a product of the character desired is produced. It is not essential that the proportions used be precisely those indicated by theory, because in the case in which a very low silicon content is required in the alloy the ore or concentrate is used in excess of such proportion; whereas in cases in which a low silicon content is not essential, an excess of ferrosilicon is used. By proceeding in accordance with the latter method slightly higher yields are obtainable.

I prefer to employ a ferrosilicon containing not less than 50 per cent. of silicon, inasmuch as I find that by the use of such fcrrosilicon alloys relatively rich in the refractory metals may be produced. It will be understood however that the gradeef ferrosilicon is chosen in all cases with reference to the proportion of iron in the charge and the proportion of vanadium or other refractory metal desired in the product.

i do not limit myself to any particular type of electric furnace, but 1 have found it advantageous to carry on the reduction continuously in an electric furnace in which the current passes through a molten bath of a mixture of ore, forrosiiicon and basic flux, and from which part or all of the metal or slag may be withdrawn as desired, additional quantities of the mixture being added from time to time. To obtain a high yield of the desired alloy and to insure a low silicon content therein I have found it advantageous to feed the mixture to a bath which is maintained at a temperature higher than is necessary to cause some reaction. The electric furnace operation may be carried out by fusing the ore or concentrate and flux and then adding thereto the ferrosilicon, or by fusing a mixture of ore or concentrate and ferrosilicon and adding flux to the bath from time to time, but I have not found these methods to be as eiilcient as that above described. The process presents important advantages for the treatment of highly sillcious ores or concentrates containing vanadium, for the reason that it permits the direct production from such ores of low carbon and low silicon ferrovanadium.

I claim:

molten bath containing a refractory OXltl reducible by slllcon, and ferroslilcen.

con. terrosilieon, and a basic flux,

2. The process 0! producing alloys of refractory metals which consists in passing an electric current through a molten bath containing a refractory oxld reducible by silicon, ferrosllicon and a basic flux.

The process of producing alloys of refractory metals which consists in passing an electric current through a molten bath containing a refractory oxid reducible by silicon, and tcrrosiiicon, silicon being present in substantially the proportion required to combine with the oxygen of the reducible oxlds, whereby a substantially complete oxidation of the silicon is securedand a product low in silicon is obtained.

4. The process of producing alloys or refractory metals 'hich consists in passing an electric current through a moltenbath containing a refractory oxid reducible by silisilicon being present in substantially the proportion required to combine with the oxygen of the reducible oxids, whereby substantially corn- 'pletc oxidation of the silicon is secured and a product low in silicon is obtained.

5. The process or producing alloys or refractory metals \vilich.c0nsists in passing an electric current through a molten bath containing a retractory oxid reducible by silicon, and terrosilicon, the terrosiiieon containing not less than fifty per cent. of silicon.

6. The process of producing alloys of refractory metals which consists in passing an electric current through a molten bath containing a refractory oxid reducible by silicon, i'errosllieon and a basic iiux, the terrosllidon containing not iesl than iltty per cent. of silicon.

7. 'lhe continuous process of producing alloys of retractory metals which consists in passing an electric current through a molten bath containing a refractory oxid reducible by silicon, and terrosilicon, adding fresh portions of the charge and withdrawing the product as desired.

S. The process of producing, tcrrovnnadium which conslats in reacting in an electric turnace upon a vanadium compound reducible by silicon with ferrosiiicon.

9. The process of producing ferrovanadium which consists in reacting in an electric furnace upon vanadium oxld with tcrrosilicon.

10. The process of producing tcrrovanadium which consistsin reacting in an electric turnace upon vanadium oxid with i'errosiilcon, the ierrosliicon containing not less than fifty per cent. of silicon.

11. The process of producing (errovanadium which consists in reacting in an electric furnace upon vanadium oxid with ferrosiilcon, silicon being present in substantially the proportion required to. combine with the oxygen or the reducible oxids, whereby substantially complete oxidation or the silicon is secured and a product low in silicon is obtained.

12. The process of producing terrovanadium which consists in passing an electric current through a molten bath containing vanadium oxid and terrosiiicon.

13. The process of producing terrovanadium which consists in passing an electric current through a molten bath containing vanadium oxid, terrosilicon and a basic flux.

14. The process of producing terrovanadium which consists in reacting upon vanadium oxid with terrosilicon in presence oi. a basic flux.

15. Thecontlnuous process of producing terrovanadium which consists in passing an electric current molten bath containing vanadium oxid and terr lhcon. adding fresh portions of the charge and withdrawing the product as desired. 16. The process of producing low-carbon terro-aiioys. which consists in smelting a charge containing terrcsilicon and a compound of a metal reducible by silicon and ailoyablc with iron, by means of an electrically-heated resistance-conductor, as set forth.

in testimony whereof. i am: my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK M. BECKI'I'i.

Witnesses (Mamas l-. Baows. J. W. ll. RANDALL. 

